Decision makers

1st Degree Felony Murder Charge for Infant Rape, Abuse, and Torture

A baby is born, a mother is handed her baby. A baby that for 9 months, she cared for, nurtured, and protected. Then that baby, small, fragile, defenseless, is taken home. From there what should happen sometimes doesn't. The baby should be loved and taken care of. The baby shouldn't be shaken, she shouldn't be tortured, he shouldn't be raped. These are horrible acts, acts that rob anyone, at any age of their peace of mind, body, and soul. Acts that tragically kill or impair these innocent human beings for the rest of their life. They cannot fight back against the perpetrator(s). They cannot speak out against their perpetrator(s). They can only feel the pain and the fear. These babies are not given a chance at life. They are only given what can be measured as hell on earth.

When the horrible act is committed, the perpetrator(s) has ultimate power, and can inflict the most amount of damage with of course no chance of a victim fighting back. It is done to silence the baby forever.

Please give our children a chance. These are all 100% preventable crimes. The perpetrator(s) deserve a punishment that suits the crime. The perpetrator(s) deserves to be charged with Felony Murder in the 1st degree, with a sentence of no less than 50 years and a maximum of a life sentence or the death penalty. If the baby survived the abuse, the charge is then Attempted Murder in the 1st Degree. Same sentancing still applies. No leniency, no deals, no chance for parole. It is time we as American's, as Human Beings, step up and protect our children. They are our future. Our most valuable natural resource. This petition is in memory of Baby Brianna, Baby Peter, Baby Matthew, and all the other Baby's who have suffered. Let's not let their live's have been lived in vain.

In case you need more persuasion, read the following articles. This is justice?

Vandergriff No Longer Faces Death Penalty

Rockland County, Bullhead City murder suspect will not face the death penalty if he is convicted of the murder of his son.

Deputy Mohave County Attorney Greg McPhillips said he will not pursue the death penalty in the case of Jonathan Edward Vandergriff, 24. Vandergriff is charged with first-degree murder, child abuse by domestic violence, sexual assault of a minor under the age of 15 and sexual conduct with a minor under the age of 15 for the death of his infant son in June 2010.

If convicted of murder, Vandergriff will face life in prison with or without the chance of parole after 35 years. The case is tentatively being heard before Superior Court Judge Rick Williams. It had been before Court Commissioner Derek Carlisle, but county supervisors recently ruled that judges pro-tempore cannot oversee death penalty cases.

McPhillips said he took the death penalty off the table because of the struggling financial situation facing the county and the state. It is too costly for the county to have two death penalty cases at the same time. Prosecutors will still seek the death penalty against Darrell Bryant Ketchner, 52, who is charged with the murder of 18-year-old Ariel Allison and the attack of her mother, Jennifer Allison on July 4, 2009, at their Kingman home.

Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith said death penalty cases can cost on average of about $250,000 or more, depending on the length of the case. That cost could increase if the conviction and sentence is appealed. Depending on the length of a case, non-capital cases cost a fraction of that.

Vandergriff’s co-defendant, Staci Lynn Barbosa, 19, is also charged with first-degree murder, child abuse by domestic violence, sexual assault of a minor under the age of 15 and sexual conduct with a minor under the age of 15. She also faces life in prison with or without the chance of parole after 35 years if convicted of murder. McPhillips did not seek the death penalty against Barbosa, the infant’s mother.

Barbosa was arrested June 15, 2010 after she took her badly injured son, Matthew, to the Western Arizona Regional Medical Center. Vandergriff turned himself in later that day. Matthew suffered from bruises, broken ribs, broken femur, swollen and shut eyes and was malnourished and dehydrated. The infant allegedly showed signs of sexual abuse and shaken baby syndrome. Matthew was later taken to a Las Vegas hospital, where he died the next morning.

Vandergriff is being held in county jail on a $500,000 bond and Barbosa is being held on a $250,000 bond.es Weekly

In a case reminiscent of the Casey Anthony trial in Florida, Rockland County Judge William K. Nelson has ruled that 42-year-old Michael Aviles is guilty of manslaughter in the beating death of his 5-month-old daughter Michelle one year ago next Monday, but acquitted him and the child's mother Lissette Capellan of murder charges, claiming there simply wasn't enough evidence to link a murder to either of them.

The judge ruled this way in spite of the fact that only the mother and father were in a tiny 20x20 apartment with Michelle, and she was ultimately found to have cracked ribs, a crushed skull, an injured anus, and according to the defendant's own story, was not taken to the hospital for over three hours after the injuries were discovered. The judge found Aviles' alibi that he was drunk and oblivious to what happened adequately convincing.

Aviles is looking at three and a half to 15-year sentence for the conviction. While Capellan has received much family support, not many have taken the back of Aviles.

The defense had opted for a non-jury trial in the case, believing the emotions surrounding the death of a baby could negatively impact lay jurors. The prosecution also suffered for the inability to prove exactly how and when some of the injuries took place. It wasn't clear if the injuries were fresh or had been there for some time.

Photos of the battered baby showing the skull and rib fractures were shown during the course of the trial and in addition to the previous listed injuries, the child also suffered bruising to her feet, hands and fingers, chest and head. The couple told police that they went to bed around 10:00 p.m. on January 15, 2011, and left the other in charge of putting the baby to bed.

When they awoke, they found the baby unresponsive and said they called authorities around 1:00 a.m., something prosecutors believe to be false. The parents eventually got to Nyack Hospital at 4:22 a.m., where hospital staff immediately suspected abuse. Prosecutors surmised that Aviles tortured the infant, eventually beating her to death, while Capellan stood by and let it happen. They couldn't convince the judge of this story beyond a reasonable doubt, however.

The prosecution also accused the two of spending significant time cleaning up evidence before they got their daughter medical attention. District Attorney Thomas Zugibe has not commented on the case to the press. Special Victims prosecutor Patricia Gunning stated that she was disappointed with the verdict, especially due to the horrible injuries to the child, and deferred further comment to Zugibe

from the Jackson City Patriot

A 3-month-old girl whose father is charged with raping and beating her suffered major trauma that caused permanent brain injury, a doctor testified Friday.

"I have seen a child injured in a 100 mph accident sustain less injury," pediatric surgeon Dr. Daniel Teitelbaum said.

Prosecutors allege Coleman beat and sexually assaulted the girl, possibly over several weeks leading up to her hospitalization Sept. 14.

Coleman

After further testimony from the baby's mother, Ashley Rogers, and Blackman Township officer Chris Boulter, the preliminary examination -- which will determine whether Coleman is bound over for trial on the charges -- was adjourned until Feb. 19.

Coleman and Rogers took the baby to Foote Hospital because she was lethargic, not eating and holding her head to one side, Rogers testified.

After some tests and examination, Foote sent the baby to the University of Michigan Hospital by helicopter.

She was placed on a ventilator and clung to life for several days.

Boulter testified Coleman wrote a statement in a conference room at Mott Childrens Hospital at UM on Sept. 15 saying he was the one who injured the baby. It was after the second time Boulter questioned Coleman, possibly a 20-minute session.

Boutler said he then got Coleman's father, Tom Coleman, to come into the room, warning him, "You may not like what you are about to hear, but your son needs your support."

Boulter said Coleman wrote a second note saying he was responsible for the baby's injuries and gave it to Rogers, who handed it to Boulter.

Boulter also testified Kirk Coleman told him he didn't want his wife to know about his drinking problem, saying he would put the baby in her crib when his wife went to work, then take pain medication for his migraine headaches and drink until he passed out.

Teitelbaum, who practices at Mott, said the girl suffered bleeding and swelling of the brain, a fractured skull, retinal bleeding, numerous bruises, 17 fractures to her legs, arms and ribs, and injuries to her private parts.

Coleman was in the Army, stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., when he met his future wife. They moved to Michigan, near his family, in 2007. The baby was born June 11 and the couple married two weeks later.

Rogers testified Coleman served two stints in Iraq, the last time from October 2005 to January 2006. He was discharged honorably in March 2006.

Under questioning by defense attorney Dennis Hurst, Rogers said Coleman had appeared to be a good father, changing diapers, holding the baby closely and feeding her.

She said she told Boulter that Coleman was the only one she knew who could hurt the girl. She testified that her mother told her Coleman once attacked her father, who uses a wheelchair, and kicked the teeth out of her mother's dog.

"I loved Kirk and I didn't want to believe it," Rogers said. She filed for divorce after the baby was hospitalized.

The girl remains in foster care, although Rogers apparently is able to visit her.The couple lived at Springport Glen Apartments in Blackman Township.

During the investigation, police said they searched the apartment and seized Oriental ceremonial knives and swords, a 9mm handgun and a semiautomatic assault-type rifle.

Jury hands up more indictments to Beemers, accused of raping their baby

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Staff report

WARREN

A Trumbull County grand jury has handed up additional indictments against a Warren couple accused of raping their biological daughter while visiting her at the Trumbull County Children Services office on Reeves Road.

The additional charges — pandering obscenity involving a minor — could add 10 more years to the prison sentence if Felicia Banks Beemer, 21, and Cody Beemer, 23, are convicted.

The additional charges accuse both Beemers of possessing 532 obscene photographs or depictions involving a minor between April and September 2011.

Officials have said the Beemers used a cellphone to videotape the reported molestation of their biological daughter and an 18-month-old boy in July 2011.

The new indictments also change the month of the alleged rape of their daughter — April 27, 2011, when the child was 9 months old, not July 2011, when she was nearly a year old.

Both Beemers face charges that could land them in prison for life if they are convicted.

They are in the Trumbull County jail awaiting trial.

Inside the Mind of a Pedophile

Posted by dlende on May 10, 2010

By Michael Cochran & Meghan ColeMost people imagine pedophiles as ugly old men dressed in trench coats, hiding in the bushes, waiting to snatch young children off the street. However, recent television shows, such as To Catch a Predator, have exposed pedophiles as local neighbors, trusted friends, clergy, babysitters, teachers, and even family members.

Conceptions about pedophiles have been changing rapidly, and pedophilia has recently become a topic of increased awareness and concern. Not only do television shows expose pedophiles, but there are new sexual offender disclosure laws, websites that track convicted sexual offenders, and more investigations of pedophilia, especially after the sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church. Yet children still remain vulnerable to sexual offenders regardless of their public façade.

The increasing attention on pedophilia has caused many Americans to question what this disorder entails, its characteristics, and what type of treatment should be sought for abusers. What is pedophilia? Do people choose to be pedophiles or are they born that way? This post will address these questions.

Pedophilia

The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) defines pedophilia as recurrent sexually arousing fantasies, impulsive desires, or behaviors involving sexual acts with a child and that occur over a period of at least six months. In most cases, the pedophile is at least sixteen years of age and at least five years older than the child. Those who suffer from pedophilia have a compulsion to abuse young children.

Categorizing Pedophiles

Pedophiles can be classified in several ways. Pedophilia can be characterized as either exclusive or non-exclusive. Exclusive pedophiles are attracted only to children. They show no interest in sexual partners who are not prepubescent children. This desire prolongs even when they are not in the presence of children. Non-exclusive pedophiles are attracted to both adults and children. A large percentage of male pedophiles are homosexual or bisexual in orientation to children, meaning they are attracted to male children or both male and female children (Schiffer, 2008).

Many people assume that only males are pedophiles. However, case studies on pedophilia have demonstrated that female pedophilia does exist (Chow, 2002). Although this is a rare phenomenon, females who meet the DSM-IV criteria for pedophiles display similar cognitive distortions to that of males, such as irrational thoughts. Some differences, however, do exist among males and females. Females who exhibit pedophilia tend to suffer from psychiatric disorders or substance abuse problems. Also, there is a higher correlation between sexual abuses as a child with females compared to males.

What Causes Pedophilia?

The etiology of pedophilia can be attributed to both biological and environmental factors. Case studies indicate that cerebral dysfunction may be a contributing or dominant factor of pedophilia (Scott, 1984), including problems with self-control, extreme urges, and cognitive distortions. Many experts also believe that disorders for sexual preferences emerge from childhood experiences during critical periods in human development (DiChristina, 2009). In many cases, child sex abusers suffer from traumatic experiences during their childhood.

More specifically, pedophiles tend to also have been molested as children. As children, they lacked the ability to control the situation. By sexually assaulting children, pedophiles attempt to re-live the trauma they experienced and they learn how to master it. A complete role reversal gives them the upper hand and prevents them from being victimized. Overall, through the impact of cerebral dysfunction and traumatic development, the sexual urges and desires for children can become ingrained within a person’s nervous system.

Role of the Brain

There is significant evidence that indicate structural abnormalities in the brains of pedophiles (Schiffer, 2008). Abnormalities occur when the brain is developing and can be on-set through certain experiences, such as sexual abuse as a child. Abnormalities in the brains of pedophiles may result in compulsion, poor judgment, and repetitive thoughts.

These abnormalities in the brains of pedophiles are caused by early neurodevelopmental perturbations (Schiffer, 2008). The use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRIs) and positron emission tomography scans (PET) has revealed that the abnormalities of pedophiles exhibit appear in the frontal and central regions of the brain. In particular, there is a decreased volume of gray brain matter in the central striatum. As a result, the nucleus accumbens, orbital frontal cortex, and the cerebellum are all affected (Schiffer, 2008).These areas of the brain play an important role in addictive behavior. The accumbens is the central mediator of reward signaling and expectation. The striatum and orbito frontal cortex control this reward system. As a result, this contributes to the etiology of pedophilia because a reward deficiency complication disturbs the neurotransmission of dopamine involved in compulsive and addictive behaviors.

Due to the frontotemporal dysfunctions, pedophilia shares neural characteristics with psychiatric disorders that fall in the range of the obsessive-compulsive (OC) spectrum. These impulsive disorders include pathological gambling, kleptomania, and even Tourettes syndrome. While some debate this claim (Schiffer et al., 2007), there is substantial evidence for the existence of physiological and genetic overlaps. In particular, studies have shown that alterations in the frontostriatal circuitry are a major abnormality leading to obsessive-compulsive behavior. Pedophiles tend to act inappropriately and exhibit poor judgment because they lack the ability to control their impulses.

These structural alterations underlie the antisocial behaviors exhibited by someone with pedophilia. Pedophiles are burdened with repetitive thoughts and urges. Consequently, they seek to fulfill these desires through behavior that is socially unacceptable and at times, even illegal. Most pedophiles express shame and guilt after partaking in their immoral behavior because their neurological dysfunctions deal strictly with urges and not emotions (Schiffer et al., 2007).

Is There a Cure?

Pedophilia, like many types of disturbances or diseases, does not have a complete cure. The sexual urges associated with pedophilia may never permanently disappear, and a person’s sexual preference and orientation can be difficult to completely re-orient. At present, treatment primarily focuses on preventing further offenses rather than changing sexual orientation.

Yuli Grebchenko, MD, has done extensive research on pedophiles. He noted that pedophilia is a life-long disorder and stated that, “It needs lifelong treatment” (Lamberg, 2005). Recent studies have demonstrated that psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy can be combined to bring about the most effective treatment to someone suffering from pedophilia (Kersebaum, 2007).

Therapy includes discussing traumatic events, especially those from the childhood of an abuser. Therapy also seeks to help patients identify situations that may tempt them to engage in harmful behaviors toward children. During therapeutic treatment, therapists may try to correct a patient’s cognitive disorder, which may include misperceptions that the child enjoyed the abuse.

The three standard pharmacotherapy treatments for pedophilia are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH), and leuprolide acetate (LA) (Briken, 2003). These pharmacotherapy treatments target certain hormones and chemicals in the body, but have varying side effects. SSRIs are effective in less severe cases and patients often experience only sexual side effects (Kraus, 2007). In more serious cases, LA can reduce testosterone to extremely low levels along with pedophilic urges. While LA treatment is somewhat dangerous, it has been found to be very effective (Schober, 2005). The newest treatment drug, LHRH, reduces neural responsiveness to visual sexual stimuli and has very little side effects (Briken, 2003).

Today’s WorldMost people are in denial that pedophilia exists in their community or home. Pedophiles, however, will go to great lengths to continue their compulsive behavior. They will volunteer in church youth groups, coach youth athletic teams, and find other ways to associate with potential victims. Many times, they place themselves in positions where they can easily meet children.

The Internet has become a common hunting ground to prey on children. Today more and more kids are using Facebook accounts. While Facebook acts as a social network to help link people together, the ability to create a profile displaying one’s personal information may indirectly be helping pedophiles find their next victim. Pedophiles can then befriend children and manipulate, trap, and lure their victims into a false sense of trust. Some pedophiles may pretend they are someone else, such as a classmate. Others develop friendship with children and then arrange meeting times and places so they can act upon and fulfill their sexual desires (Deirmenjian, 2009).

The Catholic Church frowns upon certain sexual behavior. Yet, priests were recently discovered to have engaged in sexual behavior with children. A great deal of hypocrisy surrounds the sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church. Over the course of the past two decades, the Church has struggled with confronting sex crimes committed by Catholic priests and religious orders against children. In many cases, the clergy suffered from pedophilia. These priests sexually abused minors, primarily male altar servers, and exerted power over these boys.

The children who fell victim to the clergy were easily accessible, vulnerable, and unthreatening. These priests who engaged in sexual behavior with youth should be held responsible for their actions. The Church should come forward and acknowledge this type of inappropriate behavior. They should take the proper steps to correct this type behavior and have their pedophilic priests seek treatment for their disorder.

Conclusion

Pedophilia is a complex disorder with many underlying factors. These range from dysfunctions in the development of the brain to particular traumatic experiences, such as sexual abuse or rape as a child. Despite no cure for pedophilia, measures can be taken to help people with this disorder control their urges and behavior. Society needs to be more aware of this disorder and its prevalence in everyday life. So while not all people who engage with children are pedophiles, the prominence of pedophiles across many facets of life is much greater than we think.

I just signed the following petition addressed to: Govenor Scott Walker WI.

---------------1st Degree Felony Murder Charge for the Rape, Abuse and Torture of an Infant.

A baby is born, a mother is handed her baby. A baby that for 9 months, she cared for, nurtured, and protected. Then that baby, small, fragile, defenseless, is taken home. From there what should happen sometimes doesn't. The baby should be loved and taken care of. The baby shouldn't be shaken, she shouldn't be tortured, he shouldn't be raped. These are horrible acts, acts that rob anyone, at any age of their peace of mind, body, and soul. Acts that tragically kill or impair these innocent human beings for the rest of their life. They cannot fight back against the perpetrator(s). They cannot speak out against their perpetrator(s). They can only feel the pain and the fear. These babies are not given a chance at life. They are only given what can be measured as hell on earth.

When the horrible act is committed, the perpetrator(s) has ultimate power, and can inflict the most amount of damage with of course no chance of a victim fighting back. It is done to silence the baby forever.

Please give our children a chance. These are all 100% preventable crimes. The perpetrator(s) deserve a punishment that suits the crime. The perpetrator(s) deserves to be charged with Felony Murder in the 1st degree, with a sentence of no less than 50 years and a maximum of a life sentence or the death penalty. If the baby survived the abuse, the charge is then Attempted Murder in the 1st Degree. Same sentancing still applies. No leniency, no deals, no chance for parole. It is time we as American's, as Human Beings, step up and protect our children. They are our future. Our most valuable natural resource. This petition is in memory of Baby Brianna, Baby Peter, Baby Matthew, and all the other Baby's who have suffered. Let's not let their live's have been lived in vain

In case you need more persuasion, read the following articles. This is justice?

Vandergriff No Longer Faces Death Penalty

Rockland County, Bullhead City murder suspect will not face the death penalty if he is convicted of the murder of his son.

Deputy Mohave County Attorney Greg McPhillips said he will not pursue the death penalty in the case of Jonathan Edward Vandergriff, 24. Vandergriff is charged with first-degree murder, child abuse by domestic violence, sexual assault of a minor under the age of 15 and sexual conduct with a minor under the age of 15 for the death of his infant son in June 2010.

If convicted of murder, Vandergriff will face life in prison with or without the chance of parole after 35 years. The case is tentatively being heard before Superior Court Judge Rick Williams. It had been before Court Commissioner Derek Carlisle, but county supervisors recently ruled that judges pro-tempore cannot oversee death penalty cases.

McPhillips said he took the death penalty off the table because of the struggling financial situation facing the county and the state. It is too costly for the county to have two death penalty cases at the same time. Prosecutors will still seek the death penalty against Darrell Bryant Ketchner, 52, who is charged with the murder of 18-year-old Ariel Allison and the attack of her mother, Jennifer Allison on July 4, 2009, at their Kingman home.

Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith said death penalty cases can cost on average of about $250,000 or more, depending on the length of the case. That cost could increase if the conviction and sentence is appealed. Depending on the length of a case, non-capital cases cost a fraction of that.

Vandergriff’s co-defendant, Staci Lynn Barbosa, 19, is also charged with first-degree murder, child abuse by domestic violence, sexual assault of a minor under the age of 15 and sexual conduct with a minor under the age of 15. She also faces life in prison with or without the chance of parole after 35 years if convicted of murder. McPhillips did not seek the death penalty against Barbosa, the infant’s mother.

Barbosa was arrested June 15, 2010 after she took her badly injured son, Matthew, to the Western Arizona Regional Medical Center. Vandergriff turned himself in later that day. Matthew suffered from bruises, broken ribs, broken femur, swollen and shut eyes and was malnourished and dehydrated. The infant allegedly showed signs of sexual abuse and shaken baby syndrome. Matthew was later taken to a Las Vegas hospital, where he died the next morning.

Vandergriff is being held in county jail on a $500,000 bond and Barbosa is being held on a $250,000 bond.es Weekly

JUDGE ACQUITS BABY BUTCHER OF MURDER CHARGES

In a case reminiscent of the Casey Anthony trial in Florida, Rockland County Judge William K. Nelson has ruled that 42-year-old Michael Aviles is guilty of manslaughter in the beating death of his 5-month-old daughter Michelle one year ago next Monday, but acquitted him and the child's mother Lissette Capellan of murder charges, claiming there simply wasn't enough evidence to link a murder to either of them.

The judge ruled this way in spite of the fact that only the mother and father were in a tiny 20x20 apartment with Michelle, and she was ultimately found to have cracked ribs, a crushed skull, an injured anus, and according to the defendant's own story, was not taken to the hospital for over three hours after the injuries were discovered. The judge found Aviles' alibi that he was drunk and oblivious to what happened adequately convincing.

Aviles is looking at three and a half to 15-year sentence for the conviction. While Capellan has received much family support, not many have taken the back of Aviles.

The defense had opted for a non-jury trial in the case, believing the emotions surrounding the death of a baby could negatively impact lay jurors. The prosecution also suffered for the inability to prove exactly how and when some of the injuries took place. It wasn't clear if the injuries were fresh or had been there for some time.

Photos of the battered baby showing the skull and rib fractures were shown during the course of the trial and in addition to the previous listed injuries, the child also suffered bruising to her feet, hands and fingers, chest and head. The couple told police that they went to bed around 10:00 p.m. on January 15, 2011, and left the other in charge of putting the baby to bed.

When they awoke, they found the baby unresponsive and said they called authorities around 1:00 a.m., something prosecutors believe to be false. The parents eventually got to Nyack Hospital at 4:22 a.m., where hospital staff immediately suspected abuse. Prosecutors surmised that Aviles tortured the infant, eventually beating her to death, while Capellan stood by and let it happen. They couldn't convince the judge of this story beyond a reasonable doubt, however.

The prosecution also accused the two of spending significant time cleaning up evidence before they got their daughter medical attention. District Attorney Thomas Zugibe has not commented on the case to the press. Special Victims prosecutor Patricia Gunning stated that she was disappointed with the verdict, especially due to the horrible injuries to the child, and deferred further comment to Zugibe

From the Jackson City PatriotA 3-month-old girl whose father is charged with raping and beating her suffered major trauma that caused permanent brain injury, a doctor testified Friday.

"I have seen a child injured in a 100 mph accident sustain less injury," pediatric surgeon Dr. Daniel Teitelbaum said.

Prosecutors allege Coleman beat and sexually assaulted the girl, possibly over several weeks leading up to her hospitalization Sept. 14.

ColemanAfter further testimony from the baby's mother, Ashley Rogers, and Blackman Township officer Chris Boulter, the preliminary examination -- which will determine whether Coleman is bound over for trial on the charges -- was adjourned until Feb. 19. Coleman and Rogers took the baby to Foote Hospital because she was lethargic, not eating and holding her head to one side, Rogers testified.

After some tests and examination, Foote sent the baby to the University of Michigan Hospital by helicopter.

She was placed on a ventilator and clung to life for several days.

Boulter testified Coleman wrote a statement in a conference room at Mott Childrens Hospital at UM on Sept. 15 saying he was the one who injured the baby. It was after the second time Boulter questioned Coleman, possibly a 20-minute session.

Boutler said he then got Coleman's father, Tom Coleman, to come into the room, warning him, "You may not like what you are about to hear, but your son needs your support."

Boulter said Coleman wrote a second note saying he was responsible for the baby's injuries and gave it to Rogers, who handed it to Boulter.

Boulter also testified Kirk Coleman told him he didn't want his wife to know about his drinking problem, saying he would put the baby in her crib when his wife went to work, then take pain medication for his migraine headaches and drink until he passed out.

Teitelbaum, who practices at Mott, said the girl suffered bleeding and swelling of the brain, a fractured skull, retinal bleeding, numerous bruises, 17 fractures to her legs, arms and ribs, and injuries to her private parts.

Coleman was in the Army, stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., when he met his future wife. They moved to Michigan, near his family, in 2007. The baby was born June 11 and the couple married two weeks later.

Rogers testified Coleman served two stints in Iraq, the last time from October 2005 to January 2006. He was discharged honorably in March 2006.

Under questioning by defense attorney Dennis Hurst, Rogers said Coleman had appeared to be a good father, changing diapers, holding the baby closely and feeding her.

She said she told Boulter that Coleman was the only one she knew who could hurt the girl. She testified that her mother told her Coleman once attacked her father, who uses a wheelchair, and kicked the teeth out of her mother's dog.

"I loved Kirk and I didn't want to believe it," Rogers said. She filed for divorce after the baby was hospitalized.

The girl remains in foster care, although Rogers apparently is able to visit her. The couple lived at Springport Glen Apartments in Blackman Township.

During the investigation, police said they searched the apartment and seized Oriental ceremonial knives and swords, a 9mm handgun and a semiautomatic assault-type rifle.

Jury hands up more indictments to Beemers, accused of raping their baby

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Staff report

WARREN

A Trumbull County grand jury has handed up additional indictments against a Warren couple accused of raping their biological daughter while visiting her at the Trumbull County Children Services office on Reeves Road.

The additional charges — pandering obscenity involving a minor — could add 10 more years to the prison sentence if Felicia Banks Beemer, 21, and Cody Beemer, 23, are convicted.

The additional charges accuse both Beemers of possessing 532 obscene photographs or depictions involving a minor between April and September 2011.

Officials have said the Beemers used a cellphone to videotape the reported molestation of their biological daughter and an 18-month-old boy in July 2011.

The new indictments also change the month of the alleged rape of their daughter — April 27, 2011, when the child was 9 months old, not July 2011, when she was nearly a year old.

Both Beemers face charges that could land them in prison for life if they are convicted.

They are in the Trumbull County jail awaiting trial.

Inside the Mind of a Pedophile

Posted by dlende on May 10, 2010

By Michael Cochran & Meghan Cole

Most people imagine pedophiles as ugly old men dressed in trench coats, hiding in the bushes, waiting to snatch young children off the street. However, recent television shows, such as To Catch a Predator, have exposed pedophiles as local neighbors, trusted friends, clergy, babysitters, teachers, and even family members.

Conceptions about pedophiles have been changing rapidly, and pedophilia has recently become a topic of increased awareness and concern. Not only do television shows expose pedophiles, but there are new sexual offender disclosure laws, websites that track convicted sexual offenders, and more investigations of pedophilia, especially after the sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church. Yet children still remain vulnerable to sexual offenders regardless of their public façade.

The increasing attention on pedophilia has caused many Americans to question what this disorder entails, its characteristics, and what type of treatment should be sought for abusers. What is pedophilia? Do people choose to be pedophiles or are they born that way? This post will address these questions.

Pedophilia

The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) defines pedophilia as recurrent sexually arousing fantasies, impulsive desires, or behaviors involving sexual acts with a child and that occur over a period of at least six months. In most cases, the pedophile is at least sixteen years of age and at least five years older than the child. Those who suffer from pedophilia have a compulsion to abuse young children.

Categorizing Pedophiles

Pedophiles can be classified in several ways. Pedophilia can be characterized as either exclusive or non-exclusive. Exclusive pedophiles are attracted only to children. They show no interest in sexual partners who are not prepubescent children. This desire prolongs even when they are not in the presence of children. Non-exclusive pedophiles are attracted to both adults and children. A large percentage of male pedophiles are homosexual or bisexual in orientation to children, meaning they are attracted to male children or both male and female children (Schiffer, 2008).

Many people assume that only males are pedophiles. However, case studies on pedophilia have demonstrated that female pedophilia does exist (Chow, 2002). Although this is a rare phenomenon, females who meet the DSM-IV criteria for pedophiles display similar cognitive distortions to that of males, such as irrational thoughts. Some differences, however, do exist among males and females. Females who exhibit pedophilia tend to suffer from psychiatric disorders or substance abuse problems. Also, there is a higher correlation between sexual abuses as a child with females compared to males.

What Causes Pedophilia?

The etiology of pedophilia can be attributed to both biological and environmental factors. Case studies indicate that cerebral dysfunction may be a contributing or dominant factor of pedophilia (Scott, 1984), including problems with self-control, extreme urges, and cognitive distortions. Many experts also believe that disorders for sexual preferences emerge from childhood experiences during critical periods in human development (DiChristina, 2009). In many cases, child sex abusers suffer from traumatic experiences during their childhood.

More specifically, pedophiles tend to also have been molested as children. As children, they lacked the ability to control the situation. By sexually assaulting children, pedophiles attempt to re-live the trauma they experienced and they learn how to master it. A complete role reversal gives them the upper hand and prevents them from being victimized. Overall, through the impact of cerebral dysfunction and traumatic development, the sexual urges and desires for children can become ingrained within a person’s nervous system.

Role of the Brain

There is significant evidence that indicate structural abnormalities in the brains of pedophiles (Schiffer, 2008). Abnormalities occur when the brain is developing and can be on-set through certain experiences, such as sexual abuse as a child. Abnormalities in the brains of pedophiles may result in compulsion, poor judgment, and repetitive thoughts.

These abnormalities in the brains of pedophiles are caused by early neurodevelopmental perturbations (Schiffer, 2008). The use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRIs) and positron emission tomography scans (PET) has revealed that the abnormalities of pedophiles exhibit appear in the frontal and central regions of the brain. In particular, there is a decreased volume of gray brain matter in the central striatum. As a result, the nucleus accumbens, orbital frontal cortex, and the cerebellum are all affected (Schiffer, 2008).

These areas of the brain play an important role in addictive behavior. The accumbens is the central mediator of reward signaling and expectation. The striatum and orbito frontal cortex control this reward system. As a result, this contributes to the etiology of pedophilia because a reward deficiency complication disturbs the neurotransmission of dopamine involved in compulsive and addictive behaviors.

Due to the frontotemporal dysfunctions, pedophilia shares neural characteristics with psychiatric disorders that fall in the range of the obsessive-compulsive (OC) spectrum. These impulsive disorders include pathological gambling, kleptomania, and even Tourettes syndrome. While some debate this claim (Schiffer et al., 2007), there is substantial evidence for the existence of physiological and genetic overlaps. In particular, studies have shown that alterations in the frontostriatal circuitry are a major abnormality leading to obsessive-compulsive behavior. Pedophiles tend to act inappropriately and exhibit poor judgment because they lack the ability to control their impulses.

These structural alterations underlie the antisocial behaviors exhibited by someone with pedophilia. Pedophiles are burdened with repetitive thoughts and urges. Consequently, they seek to fulfill these desires through behavior that is socially unacceptable and at times, even illegal. Most pedophiles express shame and guilt after partaking in their immoral behavior because their neurological dysfunctions deal strictly with urges and not emotions (Schiffer et al., 2007).

Is There a Cure?

Pedophilia, like many types of disturbances or diseases, does not have a complete cure. The sexual urges associated with pedophilia may never permanently disappear, and a person’s sexual preference and orientation can be difficult to completely re-orient. At present, treatment primarily focuses on preventing further offenses rather than changing sexual orientation.

Yuli Grebchenko, MD, has done extensive research on pedophiles. He noted that pedophilia is a life-long disorder and stated that, “It needs lifelong treatment” (Lamberg, 2005). Recent studies have demonstrated that psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy can be combined to bring about the most effective treatment to someone suffering from pedophilia (Kersebaum, 2007).

Therapy includes discussing traumatic events, especially those from the childhood of an abuser. Therapy also seeks to help patients identify situations that may tempt them to engage in harmful behaviors toward children. During therapeutic treatment, therapists may try to correct a patient’s cognitive disorder, which may include misperceptions that the child enjoyed the abuse.

The three standard pharmacotherapy treatments for pedophilia are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH), and leuprolide acetate (LA) (Briken, 2003). These pharmacotherapy treatments target certain hormones and chemicals in the body, but have varying side effects. SSRIs are effective in less severe cases and patients often experience only sexual side effects (Kraus, 2007). In more serious cases, LA can reduce testosterone to extremely low levels along with pedophilic urges. While LA treatment is somewhat dangerous, it has been found to be very effective (Schober, 2005). The newest treatment drug, LHRH, reduces neural responsiveness to visual sexual stimuli and has very little side effects (Briken, 2003).

Today’s World

Most people are in denial that pedophilia exists in their community or home. Pedophiles, however, will go to great lengths to continue their compulsive behavior. They will volunteer in church youth groups, coach youth athletic teams, and find other ways to associate with potential victims. Many times, they place themselves in positions where they can easily meet children.

The Internet has become a common hunting ground to prey on children. Today more and more kids are using Facebook accounts. While Facebook acts as a social network to help link people together, the ability to create a profile displaying one’s personal information may indirectly be helping pedophiles find their next victim. Pedophiles can then befriend children and manipulate, trap, and lure their victims into a false sense of trust. Some pedophiles may pretend they are someone else, such as a classmate. Others develop friendship with children and then arrange meeting times and places so they can act upon and fulfill their sexual desires (Deirmenjian, 2009).

The Catholic Church frowns upon certain sexual behavior. Yet, priests were recently discovered to have engaged in sexual behavior with children. A great deal of hypocrisy surrounds the sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church. Over the course of the past two decades, the Church has struggled with confronting sex crimes committed by Catholic priests and religious orders against children. In many cases, the clergy suffered from pedophilia. These priests sexually abused minors, primarily male altar servers, and exerted power over these boys.

The children who fell victim to the clergy were easily accessible, vulnerable, and unthreatening. These priests who engaged in sexual behavior with youth should be held responsible for their actions. The Church should come forward and acknowledge this type of inappropriate behavior. They should take the proper steps to correct this type behavior and have their pedophilic priests seek treatment for their disorder.

Conclusion

Pedophilia is a complex disorder with many underlying factors. These range from dysfunctions in the development of the brain to particular traumatic experiences, such as sexual abuse or rape as a child. Despite no cure for pedophilia, measures can be taken to help people with this disorder control their urges and behavior. Society needs to be more aware of this disorder and its prevalence in everyday life. So while not all people who engage with children are pedophiles, the prominence of pedophiles across many facets of life is much greater than we think.